Welcome. We’re here today to get approval to leave this place. To be told that we’re done, al fin, la fine. But if we were to place this summer, right here, on a timeline of the things that our class will create, the ideas that our class will manifest, the places that our class will go, you would find that we, the class of 2008, are not done.

First of all, welcome families and friends. Second, congratulations class of 2008. And third, I love you. My fellow graduates, we have been so fortunate in knowing each other. We have spent the last four years watching each other excel at what we love, whether it is academics, theatre, the school newspaper, sports or music. You all amaze me with your individual talents and leave me in awe at the thought that the next four years will only include two of you. I want to take this opportunity to let you all know how irreplaceable you and our Island are.

When I sat down to write this graduation speech, I did what any child of the nineties would do in my situation — I went on Google. I typed “best graduation speeches ever” into the search tab and spent the next two hours watching low-quality YouTube videos of commencement speeches by Steve Jobs, Will Ferrell and other people I have nothing in common with.

Lecture on Spirituals

The Vineyard Haven Public Library hosts James Thomas, founding president of the U.S. Slave Song Project, to speak on the history and interpretation of spirituals, on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m.

Painter, illustrator and landscape historian Diane Nicholls returns to Polly Hill Arboretum this week wth her popular workshop series Observing and Drawing the Landscape. Participants will learn art techniques to record observations of the natural landscape, in weekly Wednesday sessions from 1 to 4 p.m. Drawing lessons will include perspective, sketching and developing a “personal shorthand.” Ms. Nicholls will also present methods for keeping a daily sketchbook.

The road leading into Flat Point Farm in West Tisbury is surrounded by hay fields and on Friday afternoon the late-day sun brushed their tops in shades of gold.

In one hand, Doug Brush, 26, held a cold beer — it was 5 p.m., after all. In the other he held a hammer. With him was his business partner, Jeff Munroe, 28. Together, they were finishing a self-designed movable pen for their 226 rock cornish-cross baby chicks, which arrived in the Vineyard Haven post office the day before.

Best known for his playing of Appalachian music, multi-instrumentalist Bruce Molsky has spent decades learning from the masters of the old-time music tradition. On Friday, June 13, he’s bringing that fiddle, banjo and guitar music to Katharine Cornell Theatre on Spring street in Vineyard Haven courtesy of the KCT Concert Series.

A multimedia feature by Gazette photographer Jaxon White

By ALEXANDER TROWBRIDGE

Welcome Isabella

Robyn and Simon Bollin of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Isabella Charlotte Bollin, on May 21 at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Hospital. Isabella weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces at birth.